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“Oh—of course.Thankyou.”
Andiaccepted a large paper sack to put all ofCade’sclothing and boots into—GoodieOo-lah refused to take payment for this either—and got directions to the house ofGoodieTight-azz.Thenshe nodded atCaneand said,
“Allright, come on.”
Itstill seemed really strange for the bigHybridto be completely naked, especially out in public.Buthe was still quite docile and seemed content to follow her down the sidewalk in the direction thatGoodieOo-lah had pointed.
Andijust hoped that theZo’rathianwoman would be willing to take them in.Theyneeded a place to stay since the ship was dead.Evenif it hadn’t been, she didn’t like the idea of trying to cross theBoom-boom field after dark to get back to it.Thepack of wild men was doubtless still out there, looking for prey.
Theyreally needed a place to stay until the nextMoonshuttle came—she just hoped this was it.
16
ANDI
“Huh.Andwhat does the likes ofyouwant?”
GoodieTight-azz was a middle aged woman with tightly curled dark pink hair and lime green skin.Thesour expression on her face and the suspicious way she looked atAndiandCadeseemed like a bad beginning.
Shewas standing squarely in the doorway of a large single-story dwelling.Itwas round like all the others and the light glowing behind her looked warm and inviting—especially compared to the chilly gray twilight they had walked through to get here.
“Pleaseforgive us for bothering you,”Andisaid politely. “ButIwas given directions to your boarding house byGoodieOo-lah at theEmporium.Shesaid that you board people while they wait for theMoonshuttle?”
“Well…mayhapIdo—if you meet with my requirements.”GoodieTight-azz sniffed and lookedAndiandCadeup and down. “Youtwo aren’t from around here,Itake it?”
“Ourship crash-landed,”Andisaid. “Cadehere was our pilot but now he’s turned into a, uh,Manimal.”Itstill seemed like such a strange word, but she guessed it fit. “NowI’mtrying to get us up to the second moon so we can make a call to theKindredMotherShipand hopefully get home.”
“Neverheard of noKindredMotherShip, butI’lltake you if you’re a proper good girl and you can pay,”GoodieTight-azz said. “Firstoff,Inotice yourManimalhasn’t got no collar on.Ishe trained to the breast?”
“Oh, uh, yes.”Andinodded, though she still had no idea what that meant. “I, uh, use mySweetDropsto keep him in line,” she added, rememberingGoodieOo-lah’s words.
GoodieTight-azz frowned.
“Acollar would be better, but theSweetDropsare acceptable—barely,” she said. “GoodieOo-lah might have told youI’maNewOrderbeliever,” she added. “We‘NOs,’ as we call ourselves, don’t hold with any kind of hanky panky between males and females, now that all the males isManimals.Itain’t right breeding with them now, what with them being no better than beasts of the field.Atleast in their minds.Theymightlookthe same but theyain’tthe same, if you see whatImean.”
“Oh,Idon’t plan on doing anything like that withCade,”Andisaid quickly, nodding at the hugeHybridwho stood silently at her back. “He’smyProtector—mycoworker,” she emphasized. “Wedon’t have that kind of relationship.”
“Well, that’s good then.”GoodieTight-azz nodded approvingly. “Allright, show me your underthings.”
“Excuseme, what?”Andistared at her blankly, thinking she must have misunderstood.
“Isaid, show me that you have underthings on soIknow you’re not going to let that big brute be sniffing under your skirt.”GoodieTight-azz gestured to the skirt ofAndi’sred wrap dress and made a gesture. “Ifyou ain’t got on underthings,I’llknow you’re lying and you’ve been letting him lick your unmentionable places.”
“Oh, uh…”OnceagainAndiwas glad she’d worn underwear, even if shehadleft off her bra.Feelingstrange and ashamed and ridiculous all at once, she flipped up the hem of her dress, showing the lacy white underwear she was wearing.
GoodieTight-azz nodded in approval.
“Good—that’s very good.Allright—you can stay, as long as you can pay.”
“Ican,”Andisaid cautiously. “Er, do you take standard cred chips here?”
“Standardcred chips?”GoodieTight-azz frowned. “Whatare those?”
“Here—let me show you.”
Andireached into the money pouch secured around her waist and withdrew a twenty-cred chip.Sheshowed it toGoodieTight-azz, but theZo’rathianwoman shook her head.
“Nay—I’venever seen the like.Ican’t take that!” she protested. “I’mafraid we can’t do business after all.”
